Sleep
by timahina
Summary: Zarc is sent to watch over Princess Ray, who is cursed into an eternal sleep and can only be awaken by her true love.


Zarc had been paid by the king to watch the sleeping princess. Struck down by an arrow and forced into a deep slumber, she lay in a tower to await her champion. His job was to watch her and prevent anyone who was unworthy from getting near her. It was a simple enough plan to follow. Whenever he was told someone was near, he'd send a dragon. If they managed to get past all four, then he was the final obstacle to try and awaken the princess.

No suitor had gotten past one dragon.

Fire and brimstone and lightening, tearing the earth from under them. Simple blades of iron weren't to defeat his dragons. Zarc sighed. "Guess your knight in shining armor ain't coming anytime soon, eh Princess?"

Zarc gave a weak smile and sat on the bed with the girl, brushing her bangs aside. Sometimes, he would strike up a conversation with her. It was the only form of company he had aside from his dragons. Not that he didn't enjoy spending time with them but there were times he just… needed to see another person. _Talk_ to another human. He was trapped there as much as her.

He just knew her as Princess Ray, cursed by a jealous witch to sleep for eternity. With curses like this, only a kiss of true love could awaken her. Many had come far and wide to try their luck and Zarc was her only line of defense. The thought of anyone pushing their way to this tower and seeing a defenseless, sleeping woman… he couldn't leave her.

"You know, your dad put a really nice view in this room. The sunset is gorgeous, ya know?" An awkward laugh as he patted her hand. Her skin wasn't cold to his touch, still warm. She was alive.

The Princess was somewhere there.

He sighed.

" _Zarc! We're bored!_ "

" _There hasn't been a fight in nearly a week!_ "

His monsters' cries could be heard for miles around. They were getting antsy, clearly. Not allowed to stray too far from the tower and it was getting to them. They didn't like to be cooped up there. All trapped because of a sleeping princess.

Zarc walked to the window and took a deep breath. "Deal with it!" He cried out as loud as he could, the only response they gave were roars of indignant anger and annoyance. Nothing he hadn't heard before. Maybe a walk would do him good.

"I'll be back in a bit, Princess."

Why did he do that? Every time he left her, Zarc made sure to inform her. To greet her every morning. Tell her about the sunrise, what his dragons did, legends and myths that came to mind.

He just… wanted to talk to her.

Some part of him hoped she would wake up, talk back so he could finally hear her voice. Maybe even see what her eyes looked like. He imagined they were blue, much like her father's. Sometimes the king came to visit – a rare occasion considering the safety involved. And Zarc would report to him of any champions that came to fight and how miserably they failed. Each time, the sorrow in the king's eyes grew.

Maybe informing him wasn't the greatest idea.

"Have _you_ tried?"

That question bore into his mind. Quickly, Zarc took a knee and exclaimed, "No, Your Majesty! I would never dare!" He had sworn not to lay a hand on the princess. He was not the champion meant for her. He was there simply as a last test – to see how far a suitor would go.

Thankfully, the king didn't pursue the topic. Unfortunately, it stayed in Zarc's mind. The days afterwards, it plagued him. For all this time and how often he sent out his dragons to fight champion after champion – by now, it was process of elimination. Which begged the question…

Why _hadn't_ he tried before?

"I'd be no good for you, Princess." Zarc was eating a sandwich as he sat on the chair opposite of the bed, watching her sleeping form. "I snore, my manners suck, I keep company of dragons. Dragons! That should say enough."

 _I'm talking to a half-dead corpse,_ _ **that**_ _says enough…_

Why was he doing this to himself? Princess Ray, with locks of silken red hair and porcelain skin. She was a beauty. But he had seen beauties before. Zarc sighed again, putting aside his plate and taking a seat on the bed.

 _This is stupid_.

He'd try, once. And immediately afterwards, go to his dragons and beg them to beat sense into him for even entertaining such a ridiculous idea let alone going through with them. Zarc slowly removed his gloves, contemplating the pros and cons to him going through with it.

If he kissed her and she awoken… then he was her true love. But he knew nothing about her, not even the color of her eyes. What was she like as a person? Would they possibly get along? Would _she_ even like him? Zarc didn't want her to be saddled with him simply because he saved her.

And if she didn't wake up, then nothing lost. He gained nothing. The king would still despair. And he would still… be talking to her and be given silent company.

"God help ya if I wake you up… please don't hit me if I do, it's the only way to wake you." He reached out, his hand brushing her cheek. Her skin warm and soft. It wasn't the first time he touched her cheek – why did his heart pound like a beating drum?

Slowly, Zarc leaned down closer to her face. He just needed to kiss her… his eyes slowly slid closed as he pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. They were softer than he thought, not chapped like his own. The room suddenly felt warmer, his heart had yet to stop hammering and his face reddened. He actually kissed her! He stayed like that for a moment, almost trancelike until he felt something tug his hair.

 _Wait…?_

Not just fingers curling into his hair. No, another hand at the back of his neck and a returned kiss. She was…! In a surprise stupor, Zarc took hold of her shoulders and pushed her away, his eyes wide. She was…

Princess Ray woke up!

"… oh _God_ , I am so sorry! Just ah, go back to sleep and I'll uh… I'll find your dad and another guy, a _better_ guy-"

"Zarc," she interrupted, holding her hand out to his cheek. A light caress, like how he touched her. "Can you please stop?"

"I can't! You woke up and… wait, how do you know my name?" It occurred to him. The first time he met Princess Ray, she was already cursed and hidden away in this tower.

She smiled, it could melt him. "I'm pretty sure you told me your name before. You've been talking to me for a couple of years now." A sudden shock coursed through him. Each time he spoke to her, he thought he was talking to a vegetable. She was lifeless, nearly a corpse. But he talked to her, spoke to her. She heard him? All this time… it was his voice she heard.

Whenever he spoke about the sunrise or gossiped or told stories, it was his voice she heard and clung to and… fell in love with.

"… you're more handsome than I thought you would be."

Her eyes were violet, a better shade than he thought.


End file.
